I needed a little get away……….Venice was calling my name, “CONTESSA CONTESSA come visit the LITTLE CONTESSA IN TRAINING!”It had been years since I had seen her and who better to show me the ropes but one that had lived there for a few years and had visited her entire life as she had grandparents living there.

I went and met up with an old friend of twenty plus years ago named SUE and shared an apartment from 300 years ago…….maybe more.She met me at the VAPORRETA boat stop and we never stopped walking for the next four days!We had PROSECCO in SAN MARCO SQUARE and coffee at FLORIAN.We had a really good time and I was given one of the surprises of a life time when three more of my dear friends of twenty plus years ago took the train up from Florence for the day!See my expression here!Not the best photo of me but it says it all……..screams of JOY and tears every single time I see these women!

 

 

We spent the day catching up, eating and taking the 2 EURO GONDOLA ride across the GRAND CANAL!Thanks to GRACE who was in the know.Do not ask where we did that because I will not be able to tell you, but its there people and believe me thats a bargain!It was sprinkling rain drops but once we sat down in that GONDOLA the sun arrived and ushered us across the canal with aplomb!We spent time chatting, eating and shopping and we even got in the GUGGENHEIM museum!Katharine got me into the OPERA HOUSE even though they were closed for a light test!All of this in just a few hours time.We found a shop that carried FORTUNEY stuff…………yes,I bought a scarf not that day but the day after!It was haunting me!A VERY good souvenir of a VERY lovely day!Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure…………..I felt like I was in a movie set the entire time I was there!If you haven’t been to VENICE in ITALY it is the time to go!Clean streets clean canals………..beautiful buildings and well the coffee always good here. We are in ITALIA folks, the coffee never disappoints!

 

Now, I bet your wondering where that LITTLE CONTESSA in TRAINING is?Well, she deserves a full POST of her own so stay tuned people………….I will write about her tomorrow as I will be up in the early hours again because of this jet lag.As I write it is 2:15 in California in the afternoon and I have been off the bed since 2:00am………the eyes are weary and the head is a bit foggy, but thats okay as I haven’t come down to earth yet as this was just the beginning of my trip; wait until you hear the rest and who joined me and who I met and what I did!!!!!!!!PLEASE STAY SUBSCRIBED!XOXOXO